B-4 APPENDIX B
The Ph.D. is a type of degree that usually indicates the highest degree
of learning available in almost any subject area—psychology, the study of lan-
guages, education, philosophy, the sciences, and many others. It is typically
very research oriented, and earning the degree usually requires a previous
master ’s degree in addition to coursework for the doctorate itself, as well as a
dissertation—a scholarly work of research in the area of focus that is as long as a
book and may even be published as a book.
The Psy.D. is a type of degree developed in the late 1970s that is focused
less on research and more on the practical application of psychological prin-
ciples (Peterson, 1976, 1982). In addition to academic coursework such as that
required for the Ph.D., this degree may require a major paper instead of a dis-
sertation, with the difference being that the paper is not a report of research
designed and conducted by the student but is rather a large-scale term paper.
Each year of a Psy.D. program will also require the student to participate in a
practicum, an actual experience with observing and eventually conducting therapy and
treatments under supervision.
Unlike psychiatrists, psychologists typically cannot prescribe medicines or perform
medical procedures. Some states are seeking legislative changes to allow psychologists
to prescribe psychotropic medications if they receive special education in the use of pre-
scription drugs. Such privileges were first pursued by the U.S. military. The reasoning
behind this move, for which the American Psychological Association has been lobbying
since 1984, involves both cost and the delay in receiving mental health services. If a person
sees a psychologist and then has to go to a psychiatrist for medical prescriptions, the cost
can be prohibitive. There are also fewer psychiatrists in some states than in others, caus-
ing long waits for mental health services from those doctors—delays that can sometimes
lead to an increase in suicide rates for patients who are not getting the help they need.
Although some psychologists in the military or Indian Health Service can already pre-
scribe, as of May 2016, only four states and one territory (New Mexico, Louisiana, Illinois,
Iowa, and Guam) have successfully afforded prescription privileges to psychologists.
Some psychologists provide counseling or therapy and use a variety of techniques
and approaches. to Learning Objectives 15.2–15.7. However, many psycholo-
gists do no counseling at all. There are psychologists who only engage in assessment,
those who teach at colleges or universities, those who do only research in those same
institutions or for industries, and those who do a combination of teaching and research
(and some that do a combination of teaching, research, and counseling or clinical
practice). Other psychologists are involved in designing equipment and workplaces,
developing educational methods, or working as consultants to businesses and the court
system. As of 2013 in the United States, the number of active psychologists appears to
be stable, with a growing number of females and an increase in diversity, although rep-
resentation from racial/ethnic minority groups is not as high as the overall or general
doctoral/ professional workforce (American Psychological Association, 2015).
Although becoming a psychologist requires a doctorate degree of some kind, many
career fields can benefit from a 4-year college degree in psychology as the basis of that
career or going on to obtain a master’s degree in psychology.CAREERS WITH A MASTER’S DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY
B.3 List the kinds of careers that are available to someone with a master’s
degree in psychology.
While individuals earning a master ’s degree in psychology are not typically able to
engage in the same level of independent research or practice of psychology as someone
with a doctoral degree, they can still work in a variety of areas, both within and beyond
the field of psychology. They may work directly under the supervision of a doctoralPsychologists specialize in many different areas and work
in many different settings.Z02_CICC7961_05_SE_APPB.indd 4 9/2/16 6:26 PM